


What May Come

by MomoTaroUsagi



Series: What May Come [1]
Category: Hatoful Boyfriend
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-10
Updated: 2013-03-10
Packaged: 2017-12-04 20:06:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 15,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/714560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MomoTaroUsagi/pseuds/MomoTaroUsagi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hiyoko Tousaka is your average high school student. She loves to sleep, eat, and is an all-around happy girl. Though, she begins to fall for her teacher, Kazuaki Nanaki.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The New Year

**Author's Note:**

> This story follows the Nanaki route in Hatoful Boyfriend, so there may be spoilers. Read at your own risk.

 

Slipping on her school jacket uniform as her feet carry her down the street, Hiyoko hurries as fast as she can toward her new school, St. Pigeonation’s. Starting her sophomore year, already late for class, makes her feel even more uneasy than she already is. Finally, she can see the school’s gate, and runs through the entrance at max speed. Hurrying up the stairs, she winds her way through the halls, approaching class 2-3. She skids to a halt at the entrance of her class. With her hand firmly grasping the gap of the sliding door, she slams it open with a bang. Panting wildly, she steps into the classroom, closing the door a little more gently than before. All eyes are on her and she can slowly feel their gaze piercing into her soul. Flustered, she bows her head, chin pressing against her collarbone.  
                “I apologize for being late! I overslept! I promise not to do it again!” She stammers out, taking quick breaths after each sentence. The homeroom teacher, snoozing until the sound of the door crashing against its frame, looks at her, dazed.  
                “Ah, you must be Miss Tousaka. Mr. Kawara mentioned you earlier. You may take a seat; I was just about to give my introduction… And relax, today is the first day. I’m just glad you could make it.” Hiyoko nods and takes her place by Ryouta. Ryouta looks over at her at first, worried, but then smiles, glad to see her in one piece and in class.  
                “Welcome class, to room 2-3… I will be your homeroom teacher this year. My name is Kazuaki Nanaki. Please call me Mister Nanaki. I hope you all enjoyed yourself over break and I’m sure... we will… zzz…” In the middle of his introduction, he suddenly falls asleep!  
“Sir, wake up!!” His eyes blink open, and he glances over towards Hiyoko, eyes hazed with sleep.  
                “Ah… I apologize. I have a bit of a habit of falling asleep in the most inconvenient times.”   
                “So… You’re a narcoleptic?” Ryouta asks.

Mister Nanaki gives a soft smile, shrugging a bit. “Yes, I suppose you could say that… Anyways, where was I? Ah, yes, today’s pre-quiz. Now, now, don’t give me that look, class. It’s just to see what you remember. This will let me know what we need to work on collectively.” After a few groans and rolling of eyes, Mr. Nanaki passes out a sheet to every student. With pencils in hand, everyone begins to fill out their sheets. That is, everyone but Hiyoko. She looks at the paper intently, as if she were about to begin battle with it. Ryouta takes note of this, and looks over at her. He leans in and whispers, “Hey, you haven’t written anything yet… You’re not feeling sick are you?”

                “Ah, ah, ah, no cheating. Eyes on your own paper, Mr. Kawara.”  Ryouta, flustered, quickly sits upright, keeping his face down.

After what seems like a century of waiting, Nanaki finally calls time. He collects the papers, taking them over to his desk, and grabs his red pen, ready to grade. Ryouta looks back at Hiyoko, who seems concentrated with burning a hole into the papers in Nanaki’s hands with her intense stares.

                “Uh, Hiyoko?”

She looks over at him, her expression relaxing slightly. “Yeah?”

                “Uh… Well, I couldn’t help but notice you didn’t have a single thing on your paper… I mean besides your name, of course. Didn’t you know the answers?”  
                “Well, I… I tried to remember them, I really did. But honestly… I forgot everything over break! Why did he have to make us take a quiz on the first day of class?” She sits back in her desk, arms crossed firmly over her chest, pouting. Ryouta sighs and smiles reassuringly.  
                “He did say it wasn’t for a grade. Don’t feel so down about it! I was just worried you weren’t feeling well or something…” Hiyoko smiles back before turning to look at him.  
                “Thanks, but I’m feeling great! My hunter-gather blood runs deep, keeping me healthy and strong!!”  
                “I wish I knew that feeling…” Ryouta chuckles to himself. In that moment, Nanaki places his pen down and stands up, clearing his throat.  
                “I’ve graded your papers. I must say, you all knew a lot of the material already! This’ll make teaching a whole lot smoother for me. I’ll give them back to you so you can see how you did. If you have any questions about your pre-quiz, feel free to ask me.” He begins to go down each row, handing back everyone’s marked page. Hiyoko can feel herself shrinking further and further down her seat, the impending doom of a bad mark looming ever closer. Mr. Nanaki gets closer and closer with each step, and in synchronization, she slid down further and further. He reaches Ryouta, setting down Ryouta’s paper before turning toward Hiyoko.  
                “Miss Tousaka, are you feeling well? Perhaps you need to go to the infirmary?”

Hiyoko blinks up at him, her nose pressing against the edge of the desk. She shakes her head softly and slowly lifts herself back up.

                “Ah, no, sir… I’m fine…” Nanaki shrugs a bit and, turning on his heel, returns to his desk.

Hiyoko looks at her paper. Not a single red mark. The only thing on her paper in red is a short message:

                “Miss Tousaka,  
                Please see me after class.”  
                Hiyoko feels a lump in her throat. The hairs on the back of her neck are beginning to stand in her nervousness. She is certain that the shame of her failing it written all over her face. How can she ever make up for this? And now she’ll have to stay after class to see Nanaki.

 


	2. Wisdom

Tick, tock, tick, tock.

                The hypnotic noise resounded through the room.

                Tick, tock, tick, tock.

                She can’t be the only one hearing it, can she? It’s practically deafening her!

                Tick, tock, tick- RINGGGG.

                The signal chimes, ending the first day of school. Everyone gets up and files out the room, one by one. Ryouta approaches the door, but lingers in its entrance, looking back at Hiyoko. He gives her a reassuring smile and a thumbs-up before exiting. A surge of chills runs through her blood as she watches Nanaki. He takes his sweet time, tidying up his desk a tad, nodding off a bit every now and then, but always snaps back realizing Hiyoko’s still in the room. Finished with his minimal task, he made his way to her desk. He pulls a desk over to connect to her’s, taking a seat. He moves his hand across and she reflexively jumps out of her seat. Nanaki’s hand freezes, hovering over her pre-quiz, and he looks up at her with brows arched. She nervously laughs, slowly returning to her seat. His gaze lingers on her a bit longer, as if he were trying to figure her out, but then it goes back to the paper. He slides it onto his desk, turning it to where she could read the questions easily.

                “Well, Miss Tousaka, I must say… Out of all the papers I graded today, yours was… Well, it was the only one that didn’t make a single attempt. This is definitely a first for me.” Ouch, right in the pride! In despair, she kept her eyes focused on the paper, not feeling the confidence to look at her teacher.

                “I honestly didn’t know a single answer, Mr. Nanaki. I’ll try harder next time, I promise!” Her head raised and her eyes began to glow with a fire that was burned out before. Nanaki smiled at the new found determination in his pupil, letting a chuckle slip out.

                “Yes, I’m sure you will. And to ensure that you do, I’m going to ask that every day after school you stay for tutoring with me.” He gave a kind smile, full with good intentions on his plan. Hiyoko on the other hand felt like her hunter-gather spirit shriveled up. Tutoring every day after school? Oh, the horror! How will she ever stay in top survival mode if she’s hitting the books every day after school?

                “Please, tell me this isn’t going to be permanent! I like learning as much as the next birdie, but I have to stay in tip-top shape physically, too! I need time to run, sir!” At first, he gave her that observing look, but then he laughed.

                “Oh, my. No, not at all. If you can show me that you no longer need my help, then I will dismiss the tutoring after school. But that’s only if I see improvement in your field of knowledge, Miss Tousaka. Your brain needs to be in tip-top shape as well, you know.” Hiyoko nods, feeling even more determined than before.

                “From here on out I swear I’ll do my best and study really hard, Mr. Nanaki! I won’t let you down!”

                “Well, all right. Let’s begin then, shall we?”

                With the guidance and instruction of Nanaki, Hiyoko slowly but surely began to regain all the lost skills needed to solve the problems. Once she wrote down the answer to the last problem, Nanaki took out his red pen. Hiyoko watches as his hand floats over the paper, not marking anything. His hand stops at the end of the page, and he returns the cap on the pen, setting it aside.

                “Well, well! This is what I like to see! Perfect paper, Miss Tousaka. And you did this all on your own. All I did was help you remember the steps.” He smiles, letting two fingers shift the page back onto her desk. Hiyoko snatched it up, a wide grin spreading across her lips. Her face glowed and she began to bounce in her seat out of joy. Nanaki laughs and begins to stand up. He returns the desk to its rightful place before adjusting his jacket.

                “That’s all for today, then. Good-bye, Miss Tousaka, I’ll see you in class tomorrow. Try not to be late.” She nods, her lips relaxing into a smile, before she darts out the room. Entirely satisfied, she makes her way out of the school and down the road to her favorite udon shop to celebrate. She orders plain udon, and gulps down the soft noodles, steamy broth and all, happily slurping all the while. After the victorious meal and a soft belch, she makes her way home, ready to conquer the school year.


	3. The Class Hike

After almost a month of studious learning and tutoring with Nanaki, Hiyoko is a little bit more knowledgeable in the field of mathematics. Despite this, she still continues to see Nanaki every day after school. If anything, she doesn’t mind staying. The way Nanaki’s hand gracefully moves, his fingers making soft flicks every time he writes. How sometimes his bangs fall over his eyes, causing his free hand to gently brush them back, only to have to do so again later. His voice when he’s instructing, so soft and delicate, yet oddly passionate. And— _oh god, that’s Mr. Nanaki I’m thinking about_. How can she be thinking about her teacher this way? She quickly pushes those thoughts, along with him, out of her mind all together. Though it’s a little hard to do with him standing at the front of the classroom…

                “So, class, today is the class hike. From the looks of it, you all remembered to bring your own lunches and a blanket or towel if you wanted one. Very good! I have a feeling this will be a smooth trip. Come on, let’s head out.” Everyone filed out the classroom, heading for the outdoors. The class follows behind their teacher, who was nodding off every now and then. In the distance, hills came into view, their orifices lit with many different hues of yellows and reds and purples. A nice breeze continually blows all around the group, the flowers swaying with the motion. At this point, everyone was relinquished from the single file line, groups of two or three students going to their own places on the hill to rest and eat lunch.

                Nanaki, on the other hand, sits in solitude at the top of the hill. Hiyoko, looking for someone to talk to, spots him but stays in place. His back is arched, facing her, and his fingers trace along the stem of a lilac. Occasionally, his fingers find their way to the petals, where he seems to contemplate whether to tear one off or to leave it be. Alas, his gentle spirit always wins, and his fingers refuse the cruel idea. Hiyoko takes a deep breath and decides to sit with him and keep him company.

                “Mr. Nanaki! Hey!” She jogs over to him, plopping down by his side. Nanaki, about to doze him, snaps back to reality, glancing over to her.

                “Oh, hello, Miss Tousaka. Are you enjoying yourself on this hike?”

                “Yes, sir! It’s been great being outdoors and away from the books!”

                “Is that so?” He gave a small smile, his hand having moved to a blade of grass. “Aren’t you going to go sit with your friends and eat lunch with them?”

                “Well… I thought I would sit with you, Mr. Nanaki. Is that okay?”

                “Miss Tousaka… Not that I don’t mind your company, but wouldn’t you rather be with your friends? I’m not much of a conversationalist…”

                “Nonsense, sir! You’re very entertaining to listen to and—“ She couldn’t possibly finish the rest of that sentence. A light blush tinted her cheeks, and she turns her head away to hide it. Nanaki simply blinks and looks down to the blade of grass he had been turning between his fingers. He let it rest in the palm of his hand, eyes half-lidded with sleep. Regaining her confidence, Hiyoko slowly turned to look at him. He was beginning to nod off.

                “Sir?”

                “Mm?” His sleepy eyes shifting their view to her.

                “Well… How about we eat our lunches? I’m starving! Aren’t you?” With that, a low rumble emitted from his stomach, as if to answer her question. She giggles as Nanaki rubs the back of his head, a light tint of pink glowing on his cheeks.

                “I suppose I am…” The two open their bento boxes and pull out its contents. For Nanaki, a simple corn dish with a bit of rice on the side. Hiyoko’s consisted of rabbit meat, thoroughly cooked, and a bowl of miso soup. As the two ate, idle conversation emerges, the two feeling a little bit more at ease with one another.


	4. You Don’t Need Me Anymore

With the class trip come and gone, Hiyoko now worries about the quiz in front of her. It is over the lesson they had learned before going on the hike, and an opportunity to show Nanaki how much his guidance and teaching has helped her. As she looks over the quiz, she feels a bit uneasy. _Do I really remember how to do all this…?_ She glances up at Nanaki, who silently observes everyone from his desk. He catches her eye and gives a small smile and a thumbs-up. She nods softly, looking back down at her paper, and begins to write. In minutes, she is completely done. She takes the paper in her hand and walks up to Nanaki’s desk. Along the way, she gets a few bewildered stares from not only Ryouta, but the prestigious Sakuya, the top student in their class. She couldn’t help but let her lips form a small grin, for once not being the last one to finish.

                Upon reaching his desk, she sits the quiz down causing Nanaki to stir from his sleep. He sleepily gazes at her, then down at the paper. His expression changes to that of surprise and maybe excitement? It’s hard for her to tell. He merely lets out a small yawn, and takes the paper into possession.

                “Miss Tousaka, you’re free to go to lunch early now that you’ve finished.”

                “Thank you, sir!” A big smile spread across her face and she looks over to Ryouta. She waves to him and dashes out the room. Ryouta gently shakes his head, smiling to himself. He has a feeling that she’s going to grab as much food as she can get her hands on.

 

                “So, how do you think you did on the quiz, Hiyoko?” He lifts his chopsticks up and gingerly picks up some cabbage, dipping it in the sauce bowl. Hiyoko, less gracefully, digs into some boar meat that was garnished in some spices.

                “I don’t think I did too well…”

                “What?! But you were the first one done! How could you think you did poorly? Did you guess on most of them?”

                “No, I did the work but…” Suddenly she feels a hand on her shoulder. Startled, she jumps up to view who was successfully able to sneak up on her without being sensed. To her surprise, it was Nanaki. He gives her that studious look. It’s been a long time since she had seen it!

                “I apologize for startling you… But I wanted to talk to you about your quiz. Could you come outside with me? It won’t take long.” Hiyoko thought her heart just jumped out of her chest. _Why does he need to talk to me about my quiz? I must have failed… I was sure I got some of the answers right…_ He turns, heading out the door with Hiyoko following behind. Once he was sure they were alone and presented her paper to her. Hiyoko gulps and slowly drifts her view down to the paper and…

                “I got a 100?! No way!!” Her face beams as she jumps up and down. Nanaki can’t help but laugh at the spectacle.

                “Did you think I called you out to say you did poorly? My, I’m surprised. With all the tutoring we’ve done, I was confident you would pass with flying colors. I’m happy to see my expectations came to life. But that isn’t necessarily what I pulled you out here to discuss…” At this, she ceased her jumping, her expression slowly turning solemn. He tucked the paper away into his jacket, a small smile on his face.

                “Miss Tousaka, you are currently taking the lead of top student of the class. You are even surpassing Mr. Shirogane. I think that you’ve proven to me that you are able to learn the subject and apply it. From here on out, you no longer are required to stay after school for tutoring! Isn’t that exciting news?” Hiyoko freezes. Sure the tutoring wasn’t exactly all that fun to do, but she enjoys being around Nanaki. Straining to smile, she simply nods.

                “I understand, sir! Thank you so much for all the help!” Her words fly rapidly to him, that he’s taken aback. Before he could comment, she is already heading inside, quickly taking her place back at the table. Nanaki stands there for a moment, wondering what that was all about. He shrugs, returning to the classroom.

 

The pen creates strokes across the papers, red ink staining the white surface. Check mark after check mark; a written letter grade at the top; repeat. He yawns a bit, starting to nod off. He softly shakes his head, setting his pen down. No point in continuing if he’s going to just fall asleep. He shuffles the papers into a folder and caps the pen, sliding it into his pocket. He turns his chair to towards the door, and is about to stand up when he notices Hiyoko at the doorway.

                “Miss Tousaka? Is there something I can help you with?” She remains silent, turning her head away. She leans against the doorframe, a finger nervously rubbing the edge. Nanaki, beginning to believe something is wrong, stands up and starts to walk to her. But, she dashes to him, flinging her arms around him, keeping him in an embrace. Startled, he stifles back a bit, his arms shooting up. His palms exposed, fingers stretched out, he keeps his hands out of reach of her.

                “Miss Tousaka…?” He calls out softly. Her head lifts up, eyes watery. He’s dumbfounded, not sure what to do. He certainly can’t hug her back. If someone were to see them, it would mean trouble for him…

                “I just wanted to say thank you for helping me for these past two months, sir… I’m sorry, I guess I’m being a little silly.” She releases her hold on him, stepping back. He slowly lowers his arms, smiling uneasily.

                “Well… You had already given your thanks to me today… But, you are welcome.” She nods, and turns to leave.

                “Ah, Hiyoko!” She stops, looking back.

                “Sir?”

                “…if there’s anything you need, don’t hesitate to ask. Okay? Have a good day, Miss Tousaka…” His uneasiness hasn’t faded, even in what appears to be a calm smile. She responds with a small bow and rushes out the room. She sprints home, cutting through the wind like a sharp knife slicing butter. Reaching her cave, she slows to a paced jogged, making her way into its entrance. She sets her books down and then something clicks.

_He called me Hiyoko…_


	5. Tanabata

Hiyoko flutters her eyelids open to the dusk lit sky. She remembers all the dreams that she had been having the past few weeks. She can still hear his voice, see the worry in his eye, smell a hint of wild grass, feeling his chest rise and fall as she clung to him. _Hiyoko…_ It sticks to her mind, and she tries to dream past that moment, but it repeats over and over but in an out of body experience. She can see herself hold onto him, but can still distinctly hear his voice and feel the rising and falling of his chest.

                She sighs deeply, slowly lifting herself up. _What’s wrong with me…?_ She pushes the dream aside for the moment, looking over to her calendar. The day marks the 7th of July, Tanabata, a wonderful festival where everyone can write their wishes on a slip of paper to hang on a Wishing Tree or perhaps some bamboo. She walks over to her pile of clothes and sifts through it. After a tedious search, she finally finds what she was looking for: her silk lavender yukata decorated with sky blue and light cream flowers. Lazily throwing off her nightgown, she slips into the silk robe, slinging one side over. She grabs the obi belt, wrapping it around her waist. With a bit of difficulty, she manages to tie the obi into a crooked bow. She then slides the belt around so the bow rests nicely in the gap of her back.

                “Arg, I like the yukata but… I don’t really want to wear the geta shoes! Not fair!” She pouts momentarily before easing her feet onto the wooden blocks. She grumbles, wishing she could just run around barefoot without worrying about what everyone else thought.

                “Whatever! I’m going to go have some fun!! And make a wish!” Her face lights up and she dashes out her home and to the town.

                She walks along the crowd. Many people are walking about the streets: families, couples, little kids in groups of four or five. The atmosphere is light and cheery, vendors with their shops set up calling out to the crowd, people with their slips of papers that are about to be written on or are ready to be hung on the tree. _I wonder if anyone I know has made their wishes yet…_ She approaches the Wishing Tree, a small crowd gathered near. Near the tree, a booth sits near with paper slips and calligraphy brushes and ink. She goes over to the booth and takes a brush, filling its hairs with the ink, and begins to make her strokes. _I wish for…_ She smiles to herself as she finishes up the strokes. Placing the brush back down, she takes her slip heading to the tree. The tree is covered in colorful slips full of everyone’s wishes. She tacks her’s onto a branch and begins to scan the tree.

                “’May mother stay healthy this year. And may my stomach get better –Ryouta.’” She truly hopes his wish can come true…

                “’Can you hear the song of the stars above? May they send you happiness, mon amie –Yuuya.’” She rolls her eyes, giggling to herself. He’s a total flirt, no doubt about it.

                “’Morning conference on 10th. Leave thirty minutes early. Buy another alarm clock. May I wake up on time. Wednesday is garbage day! Remember! –Nanaki.’ Oh, this is…”

                “Oh, hello Miss Tousaka. Making your wish?” Nanaki suddenly appears by her side. Her eyes widen in surprise. He’s donned in a plain navy blue yukata, the fabric slugging slightly off the frame of his body, his hands hidden in the sleeves. It is all too obvious that the yukata on him is a bit too big for him. _Did he pick it on purpose? Or was Mr. Nanaki fat and lost weight?!_

                “Uh, yes, sir! I see you made your wish as well! It’s a very interesting wish…” He laughs a bit of this, his hand ruffling his hair nervously. The sleeve begins to dip down and he quickly lowers his arm.

                “Yes, well… I don’t really wish for much now and then these days. There isn’t really anything for me to wish for… Or anything I believe would come true anyways…” Even though he’s smiling, his eyes tell a different story. They look hurt and sad.

                “I hope what you wished for comes true then!”

                “Thank you, Miss Tousaka… I also hope your wish comes true. Whatever it may be… Ah, look at the time. It’s getting quite late. It’s dangerous for a young lady such as you to be wandering around at night alone. Would you like me to walk you home?” Her cheeks began to feel warm as her hands gripped onto her obi belt.

                “I… Yes, please!” He nods and we both make our way through the streets. He nods off every now and then and she sternly has to remind him that he’s supposed to be walking her home safely. Though, she can’t help but smile.

                When they arrive at her cave, Hiyoko makes her way over to a rock, easing herself onto it. Nanaki scans the area, his eyebrows softly narrowing.

                “This is your home? It’s a bit rustic, isn’t it…?

                “I like it this way!”

                “Well… A home’s a home. I suppose it’s better than having no home at all. How wonderful it is for a home to come back to… Wonderful indeed…”

                “Sir…?” He tries to turn his face away, to hide the sorrow. But she catches it before he was successfully able to avoid her gaze.

                “Anyways… Have a good night, Hiyoko… Ah, I mean Miss Tousaka. Remember to be on time and to bring your homework to school. He begins to leave but she quickly gets up darting towards him. She latches her hand onto his wrist and he gives out a small yelp. He pulls away his arm, rubbing at his wrist. Dumbfounded, she just stares at him, not sure what she did. He looks flustered, slowly lowering his arms to his sides.

                “I… I’m sorry… You just caught me off guard is all. Goodnight Miss Tousaka…” He once again leaves but this time no attempt was made to stop him. It’s strange how he acted. She wasn’t trying to hurt him or anything, just get him to stay. But it seemed as if though his wrist were injured, the way he acted. _Did I really catch him off guard? That was too weird… Did I grip his wrist too hard? Mr. Nanaki… Are you just weak?! I wish I could fix this…_

Feeling confusion and slightly guilty, Hiyoko lies down on her make shift bed, pulling over her blanket. She tosses and turns, trying to get comfortable before finally falling asleep. She tries to dream of Nanaki smiling in his slightly over sized yukata glowing under the lantern lights surrounded by colorful slips of paper. But the scene of her reaching out for his wrist and grabbing it, only resulting in him seeming to be in pain, replays over and over.


	6. The Summer Festival

Hiyoko taps her pencil on her desk. She recollects the day of Tanabana: the atmosphere cheerful and bright, everyone dressed in their yukatas, and then encountering Nanaki. She sighs, trying to bog down the darker side of the memories involving Nanaki. Her eyes shift over to his sleeping form. He looks peaceful and serene, his shoulders softly rising and falling with his breathing. She leans her cheek against the palm of her hand, cupping her cheek gingerly as she takes in the calm sight. A hand flickers in front of her eyes, waving up and down.

                “Hey, Hiyoko… You haven’t finished your assignment yet. Class is almost over, too! What are you thinking so intently about?” Ryouta’s voice chirps out as she swats his hand playfully away. She smiles at him, before looking back down at her paper.

                “Oh, yeah, I totally didn’t notice this here! Thanks, Ryouta!” She begins to fill out the paper, feeling Ryouta’s inquisitive stares. Ryouta can tell she’s trying to dodge the question and wonders why that would be the case. Can’t she tell her friend anything?

                “Hey, Hiyoko… I was wondering, maybe we could go to the festival coming up together? We barely spend much time with each other! I’ll treat you to some udon!” She glances over at him. His face beams with that whole hearted glow, the same expression he used way back when she had that fateful encounter with him that lead to their friendship.

                “Sure! Sounds like fun, Ryouta! Want me to meet you somewhere?”

                “Actually, I thought I could just get you from your home… I mean, if you’re okay with that, of course.” Hiyoko laughs at his uneasiness. He blushes slightly, letting out a nervous chuckle, his heart feeling light and fluttery.

                “Ryouta, that’s perfectly fine by me. I really like the sound of udon, too! Oh, after we eat udon we can go and find some vendors and see if they are selling candy! Or maybe even buy little trinkets! I can’t wait to go!!” Ryouta laughs at this, glad to hear the vigor in her voice.

                “Okay! I can’t wait either! I’ll come by around four tomorrow.” At that, their conversation ceased with the bell ringing out. The two pack their things, but Ryouta reaches out and grabs Hiyoko’s paper. She looks over at him and opens her mouth to speak, but he smiles.

                “I’ll turn this in for you. Oh, but wait for me at the door!” She shrugs but does as he asks. From the doorway she watches as Ryouta hands over her assignment to Nanaki who had been interrupted from his sleep due to the ringing. As the two exchange a few words, Hiyoko studies Nanaki’s body language. Though his face appears to be inviting and friendly, his figure seems distant, almost like he is shielding himself. She looks over at Ryouta analyzing him: his face is like Nanaki’s, though he seems…

                “Ready to go Hiyoko?” Ryouta walks over to her, standing at her side. He lifts her bag out of her hand and she begins to protest.

                “Ryouta, you don’t have to-“

                “I know, I know, you can carry it yourself. But I just thought I’d do this for you. And I don’t mind, really! I’ll walk you to your house.” Placing her bag on his light pile of books, he steps out into the hall waiting for her. He looks past her head, noticing Nanaki watching them. Nanaki quickly adverts his eyes, drawing them back down to his papers to grade. Ryouta arches his brow, wondering what that was all about. Then he feels his sleeve being tugged and looks down to see Hiyoko slightly pouting.

                “Come on, Ryouta! Now you’re beginning to day dream. What, do you have the hots for Nanaki-sensei?” She grins, noticing how taken aback he is.

                “N-no! Don’t be silly! He’s our teacher after all.” Her grin slowly fades, becoming a small smile. The words echo in her head, her heart feeling a slight pang. She nods at him pulling him along.

                “Yeah, I know that… I was just kidding around.” Her words have a slight hollow tone to them, and Ryouta worries that he didn’t respond correctly. Maybe he should have played along? He nudges her slightly, grinning.

                “Actually, I can’t hide it anymore. I have a crush on Nanaki! You caught me, Hiyoko! Your hunter’s instincts are just too powerful!” She laughs nudging him back. He smiles, feeling reassured to see her back in a good mood.

                _I… I have a crush on Nanaki… I truly do, Ryouta…_

Hiyoko tosses her uniform aside and grabs her favorite mint green stripped tank top. She pulls it on, the top defining her curves and small figure. She grabs dark shorts and shimmies into them. Her feet wedge into place in her flip-flops as she takes hold of her coin purse. Making her way to the entrance of her cave, she looks out. She spots Ryouta making his way over and quickly dashes over to him. Ryouta stops, hearing her call his name out.

                “Hiyoko! Wow you look… Wow…” He nervously grips the hem of his open shirt, absent-mindedly toying with one of the buttons. Though he’s wearing a light blue T-shirt, he feels as though he suddenly gained a fever, heat rising to his cheeks. Hiyoko smiles wrapping her arm around his. She pulls him close, his khakis brushing against her bare leg. He gulps quietly, taking in her scent: ash and pine trees.

                “Come on, Ryouta, I’m starving! Let’s get something to eat!” They make their way into town, the bustle and busy street full of activity. They sit down at a small noodle shop and order their meal. Ryouta’s stomach feels a bit queasy. Even his heart feels uneasy as he takes small slurps. Hiyoko on the other hand chows down her udon and in moments the bowl is empty. Patting her stomach, she sighs happily. Ryouta chuckles to himself, giving up trying to finish the rest.

                “Aw, Ryouta, you only finished half of your noodles. I hope you still have some room for candy!” He nods, taking out his money. Hiyoko’s hands fly over to his, stopping them in mid-air. He feels his whole body tense up, looking over at her.

                “Hiyoko, what are you…”

                “I’ll pay for the noodles! It was my idea, so I don’t mind! You can pay for the candy, how about that?” He frowns a bit. He much rather be the one paying for everything and anything for Hiyoko. He knows that he can’t argue with her once she makes up her mind. In defeat, he sighs and returns the money to his pocket. As she gives her money to the shop owner, he brushes his hand softly. He can still feel the touch of Hiyoko’s hand on his. He feels himself being dragged out of his seat, Hiyoko eagerly clutching his arm and leading him out.

                “Come on, I saw some really yummy candy this way!” He doesn’t have a second to resist. She’s already taking him along down the street, dodging the sea of people. They arrive at the stall and take a handful of candy, stuffing it away into a plastic bag. Ryouta pays the vendor and not a moment after he puts away his wallet is he being leaded off once more.

The two make their way through, the sky bursting with pinks and oranges and light yellows. Soon, dark blue washes over the sky and the stars emerge from their hiding places. Hiyoko’s grasp slips away as she trots over to the small, scattered group of people. Sitting down, she pats a spot by her. Ryouta pants a bit, and gladly plops down by her. Unconsciously, he leans against her trying to catch his breath. Realizing what he’s doing, he instantly sits upright, looking up at the dark sky. Hiyoko holds her knees to her chest, gazing with him. Not before long, the sky is filled with loud cracks and booms, color filling the space with streams of sparks flying about. Firework after firework lights up their faces, as they stare wide-eyed.

Ryouta’s phone goes off, emitting the tune of the latest anime’s opening theme. He looks over at Hiyoko and excuses himself, getting up and pulling out the phone. He walks off, finding a quiet place. Hiyoko remains seated. After a while, Ryouta returns. His expression is solemn, his hands deep in his pockets.

“Hiyoko… I have to go. I’m really sorry, but it’s an emergency. I can walk you home really quickly.” Hiyoko has a feeling that this is about his sickly mother. She shakes her head standing up.

“No, no, you go on ahead. I’ll walk myself home. Don’t worry about me! And take care of yourself, Ryouta… I’ll see you at school.” He nods, slightly grateful but also a little sadden. He dashes off and Hiyoko is left stranded.

“…Miss Tousaka?” She turns and meets Nanaki’s eyes.

“Oh! Mr. Nanaki what are you doing here?” A firework goes off, red light illuminating his figure.

“I was passing through. I had ordered some take out to bring home. I’m afraid I’m not one for festivals… Though, the fireworks look lovely this year. And what about you? Are you alone?”

“Well, I was here with Ryouta but he had to go home. I should probably be going myself…”

“…Shall I accompany you?” Another firework goes off, blue-green light flaring up the sky. It’s just like Tanabata all over again.

“…No, thank you, sir… I appreciate your concern, but I’ll be fine!” He nods sleepily.

“Well… Goodnight, Miss Tousaka… Oh, are you eating well?”

“Huh?” He laughs a bit.

“It’s just that you live in a cave. I was just curious.” Curious?

“Yes, sir, I have plenty of food. Don’t worry about me, I have my hunter’s instincts to help me gather food!” He nods once more, a small smile quietly appearing on his face.

“Good, good… Anyways, I won’t keep you here any longer. Goodnight, again, Miss Tousaka.” With that he merged with the crowd, disappearing from sight. Hiyoko goes in the opposite direction, pondering over what that was about.


	7. Nanaki

Sleeping soundly, Nanaki turns onto his side, hugging his pillow closer. In his dream, he smells the fragrance of ash and pine trees. An image begins to form and he tries to identify the shape. He realizes who it is and reaches out to the figure. His fingers tap its shoulder and in reaction… the alarm goes off.

Nanaki’s eyes slowly open as the noise of his alarm blares. His hand groggily fumbles about the side-table, searching for the source of the blaring noise. He silences it and slowly rises upright, running his fingers lazily through his bedhead. He stands up, walking over to his dresser whilst rubbing his wrist mechanically. He yawns and grabs a shirt, slipping his arms through the sleeves before buttoning it up. Then, he puts on the other layers, his cardigan, coat, and shawl. As he adjusts the shawl, he looks over to the pile of clothes sprawled out over his floor. Amongst the pile is various button sleeved shirts. He spots a dark red stain on the sleeve of one of them.

“How careless of me... It’ll take some bleach to wash that out.”

He gazes into the mirror. His hair has the tendency to curl at the ends while his bangs all gather to one side of his forehead. He swipes his hand along his bangs, letting them act on their own. Satisfied with the position they take, he walks out his room.

 He peers around the dimly lit rooms. In the kitchen dishes are stacked one on top of the other, carry out boxes and ramen noodle cups to and fro along the counter. The living room is slightly spotless: the couch is set up to sleep on, a pillow at one end and a blanket hanging off the other end. The coffee table is placed in the center of the room, a few tea cups scattered on its surface.

“Hm… I should clean this place up a bit…”

He shrugs and goes into the kitchen to scavenge for food. He realizes that he had forgotten to get the groceries and sighs softly. All he has to eat is some bread. He takes out the bag of bread in the pantry and removes a slice then replaces the bag in its place. He makes his way over to the toaster and pops the slice in. Setting the timer, he goes over to the cupboards drawing the doors open. Boxes of tea fill the empty space. He randomly picks a box, mango flavored tea, and takes out a package. Not thinking about, he stuffs the box into his coat pocket.

A mug, filled with hot water; the package is emerged. The water is slowly stained by the dispersing pigments. Dark-orange clouds take over; soon the once clear scene is no more. He waits three minutes then tosses out the bag. He pours in some sugar, stirs it with what he hopes is a clean chopstick, then drinks. It goes down his throat smoothly and warms the core of his body, the sensation making him shiver.

With the last drop consumed, the mug is added to the never ending pile in the sink. He goes to the door, slips on his shoes, and leaves the apartment. It’s a school day, bright and early in the morning. He makes his way through the street. His hands mechanically rub his wrists. Gently, not too much pressure. Suddenly, he remembers: the toast. He turns and rushes back.

This is the fourth time this week that he forgets his to not only get his meal but turn off an electric appliance. He walks down the street, begrudgingly chewing on the burnt toast. He swallows the last bit, sticking his tongue out in disgust. It’ll have to do until he remembers to buy more food.

He enters the building and heads for the teacher’s longue. He rubs his head, a slight pout shaping his lips. He fell asleep while he was grading papers and needs to use the time he has before class starts to finish it. As he’s making his way down the hall, his ears perk up to the sound of clacking on the tile floor. He turns and sees Hiyoko barreling towards him. When she spots him, her eyes widen and she skids to a stop. She bows deeply to him, panting softly under her breath.

“I’m so sorry! I’m late, I’m late!”

“Miss Tousaka…”

“Ahh, I knew I should have gotten up when my alarm first went off! My bed was just so cozy…”

“Hiyoko.” She stops, staring up at him. He can’t help but chuckle.

“Miss Tousaka, what does the time say on the clock over there?” He points over to the clock that hangs in the hall. She follows his movement and reads the time out. She’s early.

“Ahh… So, I’m actually early…”

“Yes, that’s right. Actually, I was just about to grade some papers. You may join me if you wish. Or you can go and study for your exam coming up. Your choice.” He notices her stiffen up a bit, speechless for a moment. She quickly smiles to hide it.

“Sure, I don’t mind helping you, Mr. Nanaki! I might as well stick around since I’m already here.” He nods and leads her into the teacher’s lounge. Inside, it is neatly furnished with two long tables sitting in the middle. He pulls out a chair for her and she sits down. He sets out some papers and places the answer sheet above them. He reaches into his pocket for a red pen but instead fishes out the box of tea. He stares at it for a moment. Unable to contain himself, he bursts out laughing. Hiyoko looks over at him, curiosity painting her expression.

“Sir?”

“Oh, it seems I brought along with me the tea I made this morning. Would you like some?”

“Yeah, I’d love some! Thank you…” She smiles gently, turning her head away. He blinks and shrugs slightly, going over to the mini kitchen area to prepare the tea. Moments later, he’s sitting next to Hiyoko two mugs in his possession. He hands one over to her caustiously.

“Careful… It’s hot.” She nods and takes it, taking a big gulp. So much for his warning. He observes her quietly, taking small sips out of his own mug. Her eyes have shut, and she has her hand cupping the base of the mug while the other let’s the fingers wrap themselves around the handle. Without knowing it, he’s drawn in, losing focus on everything around him. His hand slowly tilts further and further and further until…

“Ah! Ouch, that is hot!” He jumps up patting the wet spot on his stomach. Hiyoko scoots her chair back in surprise, quickly setting down her mug. Flustered and red faced, Nanaki turns away, trying to hide the stain. Hiyoko gets up and circles around him, trying to see the stain, but he, in response, attempts to conceal it. She grabs hold of his arm and pulls him to face her, scanning for the inflicted area. Embarrassed, Nanaki looks away, keeping his gaze on the scenery outside the window.

“Oh, it’s not that bad… What I’m worried about is you getting a burn of some sort! Does it hurt?” He returns his gaze to her, quickly shaking his head.

“Not at all, I’m quite fine… Miss Tousaka, you may let go now.” Realizing that she still had her grip on his sleeve, she reclines her hand, a slight blush tinting her cheeks.

“Sorry about that… Maybe you should check to make sure that… Wait a minute, hold on…” She pushes the open coat back and tugs on his cardigan. He quickly moves his hands to her’s, softly pushing them away. She resists and tugs once more, feeling the heavy bulk from the layer underneath the cardigan.

“Mr. Nanaki, why are you wearing so many clothes? It’s so hot out, too… Aren’t you burning up in that?” His eyes dart off to a tile on the floor.

“Well, it’s just so cold in the school, so I come bundled up…”

“It’s not that cold! Mr. Nanaki…” Suddenly, annoyance begins to bubble up in him. He can’t have her prying in any more than this.

“Miss Tousaka, I’m going to ask you kindly to stop. I’d like to get to grading these papers.” With that, he takes his place at the table and fishes out his red pen, marking away. She sighs softly, not seeing what the harm was in asking.


	8. A Hidden Past

“Hm… Time sure is flying by! The summer festival was fun, too! I got to work with Mr. Nanaki at the front desk at one point but… We didn’t really talk about much. If anything, it seemed like he was avoiding starting any conversation but was just being polite when I wanted to talk…” She sighs, clutching her bag close to her breast.

Upon entering the classroom, she notices that the desks are covered in dust, the chalkboard is powered with chalk, and the floors are tracked with dirt. Over at the window, Sakuya is arguing with Okosan. She makes her way over to them, giving a friendly wave.

“Hey guys! What’s going on?”

“This stupid mongrel was supposed to clean the room before leaving school yesterday. But he had failed to do so as you can see!” Okosan snorted in response, sharply turning his head away. Sakuya goes back to yelling at him before Hiyoko sighs and opens her mouth to speak.

“Look guys, arguing about it isn’t going to do anything. Why don’t we all clean the room together?” Hiyoko’s mouth hung in the air for a bit, for the words she wanted to say came out but not through her. It was Ryouta, who was standing at the doorway. He smiles, and walks over to them. Sakuya glares at Okosan before slowly nodding in silent agreement. Even Okosan starts to get excited and is already making his way over to the chalkboard to wash it. Ryouta takes Hiyoko’s hand into his and ushers her over to the desks. He hands her a rag and takes one for himself.

“We can clean the desks together, Hiyoko.”

“Yeah! Let’s make them sparkle!” They work together, going row by row, scrubbing the tops thoroughly. Nanaki walks in and looks at the spectacle: Okosan and Sakuya cleaning the chalkboard while Hiyoko and Ryouta scub the desks. Ryouta spots him at the doorway and lowers his rag. He goes over to the supply closet and pulls out a mop and goes over to Nanaki. Smiling, he hands it out to him. Nanaki sleepily blinks, observing first the mop then Ryouta.

“Here, sir, you can help us clean, too.” Nanaki looks around before turning back to Ryouta. He nods, taking the mop from him.

“Certainly. You guys seem to be doing a good job! Let me just set my phone down first and I’ll get started.” He slides his phone out of his coat pocket and sets it down on his desk before getting to work. Ryouta resumes his place at the desk, picking up where he left off. Hiyoko stops, watching Nanaki. He goes at a slow pace, meticulously trying to mop up the tiles until they are sparkling white. She walks over to him, a small smile forming on her lips.

“Mr. Nanaki, would you like some help? I’m sure if we all work together we can get the floor cleaned faster and start class.”

“Ah, yes, that would be nice. Thank you, Miss Tousaka.” Her expression brightens until she notices a peculiar smell.

“Huh… Sir, what are you using to clean the floor?”

“Hm? Just some regular cleaning solution. Why?”

“It smells like chloroform over here…”

“Ahh, that must be the bleach.” Hiyoko stares at him, wide eyed. He smiles, looking away from her, focusing on the tiles.

“Yes, bleach. I had to use some to clean my clothes. I guess I dozed off while I was doing so and spilt a bit more than I should have. I apologize for the smell.” Silently, Hiyoko nods, not sure what she could say. It seems weird. _Why would he need to bleach his clothes…?_

After a day of cleaning and learning, class ends. At the sound of the bell, Hiyoko gets up and heads to the door. Ryouta calls out to her and is about to join her when he spots Nanaki’s phone on the desk. Nanaki had already left. Ryouta goes to the desk and carefully picks up the phone. He examines it: just a plain old flip phone. He looks at the time screened on the phone before joining Hiyoko.

“Hey, Hiyoko, Mr. Nanaki left his phone here. Could you do me a favor and give it to him for me? I’m sure he isn’t too far. I really have to get to the hospital…”

“Sure! Leave it to me!” She smiles, swiping the phone off him before dashing off. She rushes out the building following the stone path. Her grip on the phone tightens as makes her way to the town. Inhaling, she catches a recognizable scent: bleach. Using her hunter’s instincts, she follows the scent. A sea of people walk past as she dodges and sidesteps, trying not to lose her pace or the trail. Away from the crowd, she spots his blonde head, his figure gaily making its way to an apartment complex building on the opposite side of the street. Without thinking, she dashes out across the street to the sidewalk, receiving the honk of a car horn along the way. She pants a bit closing in him and reaches out, catching his shoulder. Startled, he stops in his place and looks over his shoulder. Putting all her weight on him, she leans forward, panting.

“Miss Tousaka…? Were you following me?” She blushes and shakes her head. Regaining her steady breathing, she straightens up, releasing her grip on him.

“N-no, you forgot… you forgot your phone, sir. I came looking for you to return it. She’s about to hand over his phone when something slips out of the case. Nanaki starts to protest but she’s already reaching for and lifting it up. She examines the object in her hand: a photograph of someone, though she can’t tell who for it’s been thoroughly scribbled over with black marker. She hands over the phone and photo to Nanaki, who quickly stashes the two away in his pocket. He smiles warily.

“Thank you. Well, I’ll be heading home…”

“Wait! I know it’s none of my business but… Who is in that photo that you scribbled out…?”

“…You’re right; it is none of your business. So, let’s just leave it at that. Don’t worry over something that doesn’t concern you, Miss Tousaka… It would… be for the better.” His expression doesn’t change as he utters these words. Even that smile is prominent. She says nothing, just watches as he bows his head and heads into his apartment. It’s like a weight has been added onto her heart: she never knew about this side of him.


	9. Fluffy Heretic

Another school day comes to a closing. Ryouta and Hiyoko walk side by side down the halls nearing the exit. Suddenly, Hiyoko stops in place, a look of shock coloring her face. Ryouta looks back at her, worry taking hold.

“What’s wrong?”

“Ah, I forgot my phone… I need to go look for it. I’m sorry, Ryouta, you can go home without me if you want. It might take me a while!” Ryouta gives a sad smile but nods. He gives a slight wave before exiting the building, the doors closing shut behind him. Hiyoko dashes back up the stairs and into the classroom. She tries to open the door, but it’s already lock. She peers in through the window, scanning the room. She doesn’t see it in sight. Wondering if she left it somewhere else, her feet carry her onward through the halls.

She approaches the school’s lab and heads in. There on the bench she was working is here phone. Relieved, she picks it up and leaves, carelessly bumping into someone.

“Ah, I’m so sorry! Oh, it’s…” She stares face to face with Shuu Iwamine, the school doctor. His composure is calm, an icy smile plastered onto his face, with eyes piercing into her soul. All the rumors that had been circulating around school claim that missing students ended up being part of his experimental projects. She gulps, bowing deeply.

“What are you doing here?” His tone lacks any form of emotion. Vibes of eerie darkness seem to radiate from him as he repeats his question. “What are you doing here?”

“I-I’m so sorry… I had forgotten my phone and came looking for it.”

“Did you see anything?”

“Huh? I don’t understand…”

“Did you see anything?” The corners of his lips turn grimly downward, his eyes piercing even more harshly. She begins to shake softly in place, fear slowly consuming her body.

“I don’t know what you mean… I don’t think I did…” At that, his smile creeps back up. He shakes his head lightly, his bangs brushing against his glasses. He points over to a door leading into what seems to be a storage room.

“Well… Since you’re here, perhaps you could gather some files for me? They’re black ones, and quite heavy. Due to my right arm, I have a bit of difficulty with carrying anything too heavy. But I’m sure it would be no problem for you…” She nods quickly, not wanting to make him angry or anymore scary than he is being.

She stands at the door peering into the dim room. She takes a few steps forward, looking for the files.

Creeeek, shut, click.

She whips around and grabs the doorknob, turning it but it’s no use. The door is locked and she’s stranded with no one to help her out. She takes at her phone and scans it. No connection. She can’t call anyone. She begins to bang her fists against the door, yelling out.

“Hey!! Mr. Iwamine, I’m still in here! Let me out! HEY! You villain!” It’s no use, he’s not there anymore. He must have done this under the belief that she had seen something. But what? She leans against the door, and slides down plopping onto the cold floor. She buries her face in her knees, trapped and helpless in the storage room.

Click, clack, click, clack.

She hears footsteps coming down the hall. What if Shuu is coming back? She begins to panic, scooting away from the door. The footsteps stop at the door, and the doorknob is tried at. She can hear keys being fumbled with and it isn’t too long until she hears a click, the door successfully unlocked. She shields her face with her arms, muttering to herself.

“I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry, please don’t hurt me…!”

“Miss Tousaka?” It’s almost as if though the heavens’ angels were singing down upon her. Much to her relief, Nanaki stands before her, a look of curiosity painted on his face. She quickly stands up, brushing off the dust on her skirt.

“What were you doing in here? School’s closed already.”

“I came in here and-“

“Come on, let’s get you out of here…” He steps back, holding the door open for her. She’s getting a bit annoyed with being interrupted before she can explain, but since its Nanaki, who saved her, she can let it slip.

Out in the hall, she waits for Nanaki. He closes the door behind him, relocking it. He goes over to her as he slips the keys into his pocket.

“I heard noises coming down here, so I came to check it out. Why were you in there in the first place?”

“I’m sorry, but Mr. Iwamine wanted me to get something for him-“

“It’s true.” Shuu emerges from the shadows of the corridor, approaching them. Nanaki watches him, and Hiyoko slowly moves closer to Nanaki’s side. “I had asked her to retrieve some files. But… I had forgotten I had sent her in and promptly locked the door and left. My apologizes, Ms. Hiyoko Tousaka.”

“Ah, it was just a simple mistake then. No harm there.” She gasps, stepping a bold step forward.

“Lies! You knew I was in there! You did that on purpose!”

“Miss Tousaka, I highly doubt he would lock you in a room like that. You’re just a bit jumpy. Why don’t you head on home?” Her eyes flicker to Shuu, who had that same expression from earlier, then to Nanaki, expression unreadable. She sighs to herself and silently complies. Once she disappears from their sight, Nanaki turns towards Shuu.

“Miss Tousaka is a very honest, nice girl, isn’t she? Though, she is a little bit restless.”

“I agree. But if you’ll excuse me, I need to go. Good-bye.” Shuu begins to move.

“Doctor.” He stops, eerily gazing over at his colleague. “That was a little sloppy. You failed to pay sufficient attention to your surroundings… That sort of thing will be the death of you, you know.” The tone in his voice certainly doesn’t match the hostility he is giving off. Shuu observes him closely, but it’s hard for him to tell what he’s thinking. Finally, a warm, friendly smile appears on Nanaki, a facade completely contradictory to his speech.

“Just kidding. It was just a simple mistake, after all. Things like that happen all the time. You even came back to let her out. So, nothing to worry about.” Shuu narrows his eyes at him, wondering if he truly was “just kidding.”

“…yes, well. I truly hope you were joking. Threatening me wouldn’t be a wise choice. And I know you’re much smarter than that… professor.”

“Of course not. I would never think of doing such a thing. Good-night, doctor.” He calmly walks off, as if nothing happened. Shuu eyes him a moment before going in the opposite direction.


	10. Ryouta

Nanaki finishes handing out the exams from the week before. Hiyoko, hands covering her eyes, slowly peaks from behind them.

“A one hundred! Wow, look at this, Ryouta! I can’t believe I did this well!” She beams over to him and Ryouta smiles back, giving her a thumbs up.

“Good job, Hiyoko! I knew you could do it. You should have a little more faith in yourself.”

“Miss Tousaka!” Nanaki calls from his desk. She looks at him questioningly, proceeding to walk by the on-lookers of her fellow peers.

“Sir?”

“It seems you made the top rank of this class, beating Mr. Shirogane by two points. Congratulations!” He smiles warmly to her, giving her shoulder a gentle pat. She blushes at the touch and bows. Sakuya, seething with rage, shoots glaring looks over to her. Being sure to avoid Sakuya’s desk, she makes her way back to her’s, getting another friendly pat on the arm by Ryouta.

“We should celebrate, Hiyoko. How about we get some udon after school?” How could she resist that heart-warming smile… and food! With bright smiles on their faces, they agree to the after school plan.

Hiyoko, with tight grip on Ryouta’s arm, drags him through the streets quickly. He struggles to keep up with her pace but does his best.

“H-hey, slow down! The shop isn’t going to get up and walk away!” She laughs and slows to a walk, Ryouta panting. He clutches her jacket sleeve, using her as support while he catches his breath. She smiles, little him linger like that until they get to the shop. They take their seats, and Ryouta browses through the menu.

“Ryouta, why don’t you try that one? This one doesn’t have any meat!” She points to a hearty looking bowl of soft udon noodles containing various vegetables. He smiles shyly and nods, grateful that she remembers even the littlest details about him, such as him being a vegetarian. They place their orders, taking occasional sips from their drinks while they wait.

“So, Hiyoko, I was thinking… Maybe we could hang out for a bit after this?” Blowing air into her drink, she watches as bubbles form and topple over one another before popping. Her eyes look up to him, sparkly softly in the light. He blushes, it’s just too cute to ignore. She simply nods to his request, never stopping her childish antics.

After they eat, they leave, not really headed anywhere. Hiyoko’s arms swish as she walks, while Ryouta’s hands are concealed in his pockets. He nervously eyes her, his stomach fluttering as if though he had butterflies trapped inside him. His hands quivered softly, his throat felt dry, his cheeks hot. Then, she suddenly just looks at him and he jumps a bit, scared he had been staring for too long.

“Ryouta, where are we going? We’ve just been walking around aimlessly. Not that I don’t mind!”

“Uh… I haven’t really thought of where to go… Maybe we can just go to the pond and sit on the hill side?” She grins and grabs his wrist dashing off towards their destination. He almost wishes he didn’t say anything. But seeing how excited she is about going, he is able to push himself to match her pace, energy seeming to flow from her to him.

They arrive, Ryouta falling down onto his back on the grassy hill. Hiyoko plops beside him, looking over the water’s surface. A small breeze blows through, and Ryouta can’t help but admire Hiyoko as her hair sways along her back. She’s so beautiful and looks so different than how she usually is: so calm, peaceful, still. His heart begins to thud rapidly, and he isn’t sure if it’s because he’s been running so much or if he’s in love.

“Hiyoko, I…” He stops himself, covering his mouth, embarrassed. He was so close, so close to saying it. She peers down at him smiling.

“What? Do you need mouth to mouth?” He sputters, choking on his spit. He coughs wildly, sitting bolt upright. She quickly grabs his shoulders, worry filling her expression. He blushes madly, turning his head away and trying to swat her hands away.

“Oh my god, no, Hiyoko! I-I can breathe just fine!”

“But you were coughing!”                                     

“Because you surprised me with that comment!!” Still blushing, he manages to stop the coughing fit. Hiyoko slides her hands off him, resting them on her lap. He starts to pick at a blade of grass, keeping his eyes off her. She tilts her side to the side, curiously observing him.

“You alright, Ryouta? You act so strangely whenever we’re alone like this.”

“Maybe because I like you!” Without realizing it, the words flew out of his mouth. He bites down on his lower lip, disbelief flowing through him. Hiyoko says nothing, just sits there pondering.

“I like you, too, but that still doesn’t explain your behavior.”

“Eh?! Hiyoko, do I have to spell it out for you?!” He takes a deep breath, trying to calm down before resuming. “I… I like you a lot. I… I… have a crush… on you…” Before she can speak, his face meets her’s, letting their lips touch. His lips gently press onto her’s before quickly moving away. He turns away once again, holding his knees to his chest, letting his chin rest upon them. He sighs softly, the breeze once again blowing through. “…But, no matter what, I know that it’s pointless. I know that you’re feelings for me aren’t the same as mine for you. But I knew if I didn’t just do something, I would just be hurting myself even more. Hiyoko, tell me the truth. Do you like Mr. Nanaki the way I like you?”

Dumbfounded, she can’t find the words. So much is happening at once that she is overwhelmed with emotion. With lips quivering, she balls her hands into fists, clutching her skirt.

“I… I do. I’m sorry… I really am sorry, Ryouta…” She bows her head deeply, focusing on her knuckles. It is silent, neither she nor he moves or speaks. Suddenly, his arms wrap gently around her neck, and she is pulled into an embrace. She moves her hands to his back, gripping his jacket tightly. He rests his head against her’s, his lips inches away from her ear. His breathing is so steady and smooth.

“Hiyoko, as long as you’re happy, I will be, too. That’s why if he ever does something to hurt you, I won’t ever forgive him.” His face moves in front of her’s, a sad smile taking place. All she can do is nod, tears suddenly rolling down her cheek. He caringly wipes them away before hugging her again, their bond silently becoming stronger.


	11. Legumentine's

Since that day it’s felt like Ryouta has been giving fake smiles. Though, recently, Hiyoko has seen his warm hearted smile appear again. She’s thankful that their friendship actually strengthened instead of weakened. Knowing that he’s there to support her no matter what and will always be here friend is relieving.

Though, today is the holiday of Legumentine’s. A special opportunity to confess your true feelings to someone, Hiyoko decides that she should buy beans for that special someone, as per tradition. Inside the humble shop, there are many beans lined up along the shelves. She examines each one, trying to find the perfect type to give to Nanaki.

“Excuse me, miss? Are you looking for something in particular?” A store clerk approaches her from behind. She smiles at the clerk and nods.

“Actually, I could use some help… I’m trying to look for a type of bean that’s a little sweet, but not too overwhelming… Something… calming? Ah, that’s not the right word…” The clerk smiles sweetly and picks out a bag handing it to Hiyoko.

“This might be what you’re looking for. These are country millet beans. They’re said to be good for reminiscing!”

“I’ll buy them! Thank you so much for the help!” After she pays for the beans, she walks out and heads home, contemplating what she should say when she gives them to Nanaki.

The next day at school, the bell rings and everyone but Hiyoko and Nanaki file out. At his desk, Nanaki files away some papers, preparing to leave. Hiyoko unnerves herself, carefully shuffling the bag of beans out of her bag. She goes up to his desk, holding the bag behind her back.

“Mr. Nanaki?” He looks up.

“Miss Tousaka? Did you need something?”

“Well… Today’s Legumentine’s and… I have beans to give you!” She pulls the bag from behind her back handing them to him. He sits there, glancing from the bag to her, a look of worry forming.

“You’re giving these to me? Are you sure? Isn’t there someone else…?” She shakes her head quickly, setting them down on his desk.

“No, they’re only for you, sir… I wasn’t sure what kind I should get but the clerk said country millet would be a good choice.”

“Ah, millet seeds… They’re actually my favorite. I always remember fond memories when I eat them… Thank you, Miss Tousaka.” He begins to reach for the bag, but stops. “Are you sure about this?”

“Yes, sir, a hunter gatherer never goes back on her word!” A gentle smile tugs at the corners of his lips and he takes the bag at last, stashing them away into his coat pocket.

“Thank you… I’ll have to get you something in exchange. I’ll have to think about what though…” He gathers his things and gets up, walking out the door with that gentle smile still on his face.

Nanaki makes his way to the staff room and quietly enters, shutting the door behind him. He takes at seat at the table pulling the bag out of his pocket and onto the table’s surface. He opens the bag, taking a seed and popping it into his mouth. He slowly chews, closing his eyes, letting the sweet aroma sweep into his tongue. Memories flood back into his mind as he eats seed after seed. His heart, dark and cold from the past’s hardships, suddenly becomes warmer. He stops eating, slowly lowering his head.

“It can’t be… I can’t possibly be…”


	12. The Confession

It’s the last day of the school year. Hiyoko vaguely hinted to Nanaki her feelings, but she knows that isn’t enough. Today’s the day, she must once and for all tell him how she feels. She’ll no longer be a sophomore in his class and won’t see him as often as she did this year.

                The bell rings, concluding the last day of the school year. Everyone cheers excitedly and say their good-byes to each other and Nanaki. Nanaki watches them go, a smile on his face. Hiyoko stays behind and waits for the last one to leave. Nanaki softly sighs, stretching at his desk. He looks over to Hiyoko who remains in her desk. He gets up and goes over to her, patting her head softly.

“Well, you struggled in the beginning but look at you now! Top ranking student of the class with flawless grades. You really improved and I’m so very proud to have witness it. I’m sure you’ll do just as wonderfully with your new teacher next year. Have a good summer, Miss Hiyoko.” He smiles and begins to walk away but she quickly catches his sleeve, holding him back. He looks over his shoulder at her.

“Wait… Can we go outside? There’s something I’d like to talk about…” He blinks, not getting a chance to respond for she’s already gotten up and heading out the door. He slowly follows behind, eventually losing sight of her. When he exits the school, he sees her standing out in the middle of the stony path. He walks up to her, but she doesn’t turn.

“Miss Tousaka, what is it that you would like to talk about? If it’s about your future career, you have plenty of time to decide.”

“N-No, sir… I need to ask you something…”

“Oh? Please, do.” She takes a deep breath and finally faces him. She carefully takes his hands into her’s and holds them. He knows that he should free himself from her, but for some reason, he’s compelled to let them linger like this.

“Sir… I like you…”

“Hiyoko, you say the strangest things. I like you, too.” A jolt of surprise surges through her heart, her grip tightening. “You’re kind, smart, you work hard…” And then it all just deflates in an instant. She blushes furiously, words stammering.

“I-I didn’t mean it like that!!” She looks away, hands quivering. But he never let’s go or moves away. His whole face seems to relax as he draws a breath.

“…Hiyoko, listen… I’m no longer capable of loving another. It’s not your fault, either… Do you remember that photo? The photo that fell out of my phone that day?” She nods. “It was a photo of someone very dear to me.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to come in between…”

“No, not like that…” He pauses, drawing another breath. “I thought that we could live through anything, just the two of us. I think we meant more to each other than anyone else in the world… But… one day I looked around. I was alone. Life changed after that. I… stopped caring. About a lot of things. I can never forget our life, our promises.”

“I… I think losing someone dear is painful for everyone…”

 “But that photo… Every day I looked at it I couldn’t tell if I felt love or hatred... After a while, I… I couldn’t stand to see it anymore…”

“So, you…”

“That’s right… But even as I tried to forget, some part of me didn’t want to. You see now, right? Why I don’t want to love again? By now, the love I felt has soured into resentment. Rather than forcing all that hatred onto one person, I… I think it’s better to love everyone around you just enough that you won’t regret losing them.”

“That’s… too sad…!” She gazed into his eyes, both of their sorrows mirroring to one another.

“You don’t agree, Hiyoko?” She sighs softly, gently rubbing her thumb over his knuckles.

“I love your kindness, sir… But when I see that kindness bringing you pain, I have to wonder if there isn’t a better way…”

“Yes, well…” He pauses, looking past her head into the distance. “I burned it. That photo. When you saw it, it made me think about things again. I never would have shown it to anyone, so I was rather… shaken. We both knew that the one of us would be gone, and… neither of us wanted the other to mourn. So, as I looked at the photo…”

“Mr. Nanaki…” His eyes slowly return to her’s, tears forming.

“I thought… it was better. Better to put it away. So, I burned it. Sort of… as an apology for defacing it like that. I should remember the face I knew, not… a photo covered in scribbles.”

“I see…” He softly sighs, pulling his hands out of her grip. She doesn’t stop him.

“Hiyoko… I have decided. I shall be at this school for as long as I need to be. And when you’ve grown up a little more, and still feel as you do now, I’ll be here for you. Until then…” He gives a soft bow of his head and walks off into the sunset. She watches him go, replaying the scene in her head.

_I’ll be here for you._


	13. What May Come

It’s been two years since that day. She rarely saw him as much as she did when she attended his class. They would pass occasionally in the hall, their eyes speaking silently. On graduation day when she was walking across the stage, she saw him out in the crowd. Now that she’s no longer a high school student, it’s difficult to see him. She wants to visit his him, but she’s afraid. Afraid that her feelings will be rebuffed. Even after all those years, she still harbors everything for him.

                She makes her way down the streets, all the familiar landmarks where events had occurred revealing themselves. The past festivals and holidays she had gone to with Ryouta, and never once did she see Nanaki. It was like he only lived at the school. An apartment complex can be seen from the distance. Her eyes widen: it’s the same complex that Nanaki lives in. She rushes up to it and to the front desk. An elderly woman is fumbling through some files, letting her mini radio play soft classical music.

                “Excuse me… I’m looking for Kazuaki Nanaki. What room number is his?” The elderly woman looks up at her surprised.

                “Nanaki? He had moved out a year ago… He didn’t say where he was going. All he said was that it was time for a change or something along those lines…”

                “Ah, thank you…” Disappointed, Hiyoko leaves, and aimlessly wanders town. She comes across the udon shop where she and Ryouta go to often and takes her place there. She orders a plain bowl of noodles, but just stares into the broth. _I wonder if I can catch him at the school…_ She slowly begins to eat as two high school boys walk in.

                “Man, I wish Mr. Nanaki didn’t resign this year. I heard he was a genius!”

                “Yeah, it’s so strange… Mr. Iwamine had resigned just before him, didn’t he?”

                “That’s right. I mean it’s great that Mr. Iwamine did, but Mr. Nanaki was favored among all of his students….” She stops listening to them, dropping her chopsticks into the bowl. It was hopeless, it was truly as if though he had vanished.

 

                Ryouta places a small kiss on his mother’s forehead. She smiles up at him weakly. His framed diploma sits on her side table, next to it, a photograph of her and Ryouta. There was another of his father, already taken from this world. Ryouta shifts his weight a bit on the edge of the hospital bed. His mother’s hand takes a hold of his, squeezing it softly. He smiles at her, patting her hand gently.

                “Oh, Ryouta… You’re such a wonderful son… I’m so sorry I couldn’t make it on your graduation day… I want you to know that I am so proud of you and always will be…”

                “Thank you, mama… I love you so much.” He leans down, carefully hugging her. She sighs softly, brushing his hair with her fingers.

                “You go on home, Ryouta, don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.”

                “You sure? You know I don’t mind staying here.”

                “Oh, Ryouta, I’ll be just fine. Go out and live a little. Have fun, enjoy your days as a high school graduate. I’ll be here whenever you need me.” She smiles softly, patting his cheek. Smiling back, he places one more kiss on her forehead before getting up. He waves good-bye and is out the door.

                He winds through the streets, the sky painted in its light hues of oranges and yellows and pinks. The sky illuminates the street, causing the shadows to fray. He heads to a grocery store, walking inside, cool-air blasting onto him. He wanders through the aisles when he notices him. Reading the label on a carton of milk, his back is faced to Ryouta. Ryouta stops and hangs off the end of the aisle watching him. He puts the milk into his basket and begins to move, Ryouta following behind carefully. Ryouta watches as the man places various objects, tea boxes, ramen cups, bag of bread, and other quick meals, into his basket before making his way to the cashier. Ryouta stands from afar, waiting until he makes his purchases and leaves with grocery bags in hand. The man heads through an alleyway with Ryouta tagging behind.

                “There’s no doubt about it, it’s him all right…” He thinks to himself, watching as the man crosses the street. He continues walking until he approaches a fairly large sized apartment complex. It looks fairly new, or recently painted. The sky’s color fade away, letting dark blues dominate. The streetlights come on and Ryouta quickly catches up to the man. He grabs his arm, catching him by surprise. The man turns to look at him, that same sleepy gaze just like years back.

                “Mr. Nanaki…”

                “Oh, Mr. Kawara? Is that you? My, you certainly got taller! How did you find me?” Ryouta blushed slightly, not wanting to admit the truth. “Ah, why don’t you come inside for a bit? I just cleaned up, so it’s not that messy…”

                “Sure, sir.” Nanaki takes out his keys and unlocks the door, swinging it open. They step inside, both taking their shoes off to leave at the entrance. Nanaki heads over to his kitchen while Ryouta goes over to the couch sitting down. After a moment, Nanaki enters the room, handing him a mug of warm tea. He sits on a love seat by the couch and begins to drink his tea. Ryouta holds the mugs in his hands scanning the room. There’s barely anything in it, no pictures, no decorations. Just furniture. It’s almost saddening to see.

                “So, Ryouta, you have graduated and are now living life as a young adult. How have things been?”

                “They’ve been well, sir. My mother continues to fight her illness. And I have received numerous college acceptance letters. How about yourself?”

                “Ah, good, good. Very good to hear. I’m sure you’ll do well in college. I’ve just been going through the days. Nothing really special happens to me at this point.” He takes another sip of the tea. Ryouta decides to do the same before setting his mug down on the coffee table. He looks over to Nanaki, his expression solemn.

                “Mr. Nanaki, I heard you had resigned from your job at St. Pigeonation’s. Why is that?” Nanaki freezes, eyeing the rim of his mug. He sets it down, a soft sigh escaping his lips. He looks over to Ryouta, a small smile on his face.

                “I no longer had a reason to be there, to put it simply.”

                “What about Hiyoko?” Nanaki’s entire expression flushed: his eyes widened, his lips parted slightly. He sat there, silent, for a moment. Finally, he looks down at his hands resting on his lap.

                “…Hiyoko… It’s been some time since I last spoke to her. How is she?”

                “Why don’t you ask her that yourself?”

                “Eh? That would be impossible.”

                “Why would it be? You know where she lives. She still lives in her cave on the outskirts of town. You know, she’s been looking for you. I’ve seen her wandering around the streets. Even on the days of festivals and holidays she had you on her mind.” Ryouta stops, lifting his mug up to his lips, gingerly taking in some tea. Nanaki doesn’t speak, just waits. Ryouta lowers the mug. “You’re hurting her slowly everyday being selfish like this. And I can’t stand it. I told her two years ago on the day I confessed my feelings to her that if you hurt her I wouldn’t forgive you.”

                Nanaki gets up suddenly, moving over to the window. He crosses his arms over his chest, looking out. Ryouta takes another sip, eyeing him.

                “Ryouta. You’re right. I have been selfish. But I was also figuring out my own feelings. I used to have nightmares years ago. And then suddenly, on the last day of your class’es sophomore year, I began to dream of her. I would see her, just smiling, being happy. It made me feel so warm… I told her on the day she admitted her feelings to me that I couldn’t love another. But now… I truly believe I have fallen for her…” Ryouta sets his mug down, lifting himself up and going over to Nanaki. He places his hand on his shoulder, squeezing it lightly.

                “She needs to hear that from you. You both do.” Nanaki moves his hand to Ryouta’s, brushing it off, but Ryouta spots wrapping around his wrist. He quickly grabs Nanaki’s arm, sliding his sleeve down. From his wrist to his elbow, it’s covered in medical wrapping. Nanaki tugs his arm away, pushing his sleeve back down. Ryouta stares at him in horror. “Nanaki, you…”

                “Don’t tell, Hiyoko… Please. I have kept this secret for years. She would be disappointed to see how weak I am…”

                “Don’t talk like that. You know Hiyoko isn’t like that. Why don’t you go shower while I go find her? I’ll bring her here.”

                “Ryouta, I-“

                “You need to trust me on this. Stay here, I’ll be back with Hiyoko!” Ryouta dashes out the apartment, rushing through the alleyways. He heads to her cave first. No sign of her. He curses under his breath and heads back into town. He’s about to run past the udon shop when he bumps into someone. He falls back with a loud oof. He pants hard, having run out of breath.

                “Ryouta?” He stares up, still catching his breath. It’s Hiyoko.


	14. Kazuaki

Ryouta and Hiyoko run as fast they can. They make their way through the dark coming up the light filled apartment complex. They slow down, Ryouta panting heavily. She lets him lean on her, wrapping an arm around his waist. She helps him walk inside and Ryouta strays off to sit on the couch. Hiyoko sits on the love seat, looking around. Once he calms his breathing, he explains everything that he knows, excluding the information concerning Nanaki’s feelings for her. Hiyoko is horrified to hear about his self-harming.

                “Where is he? Is he okay? Ryouta, how could you just leave him alone like this?! You could have called me!”

                “I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking straight… I just had to find you quickly. He’s in the bathroom.”

                “What?!” She jumps out of her seat barreling towards the bathroom door. She hears the shower running, and fearing the worst, begins to bang on the door. “Mr. Nanaki?! Mr. Nanaki, please open up!” She listens closely: the shower is still running. She panics, trying to turn the doorknob but it’s locked. Tears begin to stream down her face, her emotions getting the best of her. Ryouta gets up and goes over to her. She silently cries, staring at the door.

                “Hiyoko, why are you crying?”

                “Mr. Nanaki… He… He…” Suddenly, the door swings open, mist pouring out the entrance. Nanaki emerges from the bathroom, towel wrapped tightly around his waist. His hair and whole body is dripping wet. He looks at Hiyoko and steps forward, placing his hands on her cheeks. His thumbs wipe the tears away, but the tears continually pour. But he doesn’t stop; he just smiles wide, joyous to see her again. She sniffs before finally wrapping her arms around him, hugging him close.

                “Hiyoko… You are so rash sometimes. It’s refreshing to see… And you don’t have to keep calling me Mr. Nanaki. Just call me Kazuaki.” She presses her head against his chest, listening to the soft thudding of his heart. He moves a hand to the back of her head, leaning his head down to kiss the top of her head. In that split second, she lifts her head up and their lips meet. Nanaki hesitates for a moment, but places another kiss on her lips. And another, and another, until he is just showering her face with kisses. She smiles against his kisses, closing her eyes.

                “Kazuaki… I love you… I never stopped my feelings for you, they just continually grew. I looked everywhere for you…”

                “I know… I’m sorry for leaving without a trace… But the important this is you’re here now… I love you so much, Hiyoko. Please, stay with me…” She nods, her smile widening. He leans down again, their lips meeting once again. Ryouta, having been a bystander during this, can’t help but smile at the sight.

                Their lips part away, and Hiyoko lifts one of Nanaki’s arms, kissing the wrapping. Although it’s all good and sweet to him, Ryouta has to interrupt at this moment. He clears his throat, receiving glances from the two lovers.

                “Sorry for the disturbance but perhaps you should let Mr. Nanaki dry up and get into some clothes before he catches a cold.” The two look at each other before their eyes wander to the only article covering Nanaki’s body. Hiyoko begins to laugh and not to long after is Nanaki joining in. Nanaki returns to the bathroom shutting the door behind him. Hiyoko looks to Ryouta, her face beaming.

                “Thank you, Ryouta… Thank you so much for everything.” He walks to her, hugging her good-bye, asking her to tell Nanaki bye for him. They wave and Ryouta departs, letting the new couple start their new lives.


	15. Epilogue

“Kazuaki! Dinner is ready!” Hiyoko sets the plates on the kitchen table and seats herself. Nanaki walks in and sits next to her, pecking her cheek. She smiles and chows down on her specially prepared udon noodles. Chopsticks in hand, Nanaki slurps up his noodles, the hearty meal leaving warm sensations lingering. The kitchen, now fully stocked with food for home-made cooking, has been scrubbed down and tidied up. Ever since Hiyoko began living with Nanaki, she made sure that the place would be spruced up, starting with the kitchen. The living room is now donned with paintings, and the coffee table holds not only their mugs but a lovely little hibiscus.

                “Ah, that was a good meal. You must teach me how to cook, Hiyoko.” He gets up, gathering the empty bowls and chopsticks heading to the sink.

                “Sure! You can help me out when I cook and learn like that!” She smiles and gets up, gaily walking out. Nanaki scrubs the dishes, drying them off with a rag then putting them away into the dishwater. With Hiyoko living with him, he has to make sure the place is looking well kept. Not only for her, but himself.

                Nanaki enters the bedroom where Hiyoko has situated herself on their bed. He plops down next to her and is pulled into a hug. He wraps his arms around her, places small kisses along her face. She giggles, sliding onto his lap, pulling him closer. The small kisses become more prolonged and focus on her lips. Their breathing deepens and they begin to let their hands wander each other’s bodies. Nanaki’s lips trail down to her neck, planting kisses along the way. He toys at the skin, softly biting and sucking on a spot. She’s silent, only her breathing indicating the pleasures that he keeps sending. He carefully moves her back onto the mattress, laying her down. He lowers himself, kissing her lips. The kissing becomes more and more heated and soon, one by one, clothes are tosses aside, discarded.

                He kisses her lips once more, holding the kiss as he goes forward. Her breath hitches, and she grips the sheets. He stops, waits for her to relax, and proceeds. Further, further, until he can’t move forward anymore. Then, he begins his motion. It’s awkward at first, the rhythm all over the place, but he finally finds the right pace, the right motion, the pleasure brimming.

Names softly cried out, heavy breathing, everything building up more and more. Kazuaki, Kazuaki, Kazuki, over and over she cries out, and it just fuels his passion more intensely. Hiyoko, so beautiful, my darling, precious, dear, Hiyoko. Words soon cease, all that is left is sound. Their bodies press closer, her nails drag down on his back as she reclines, letting go. He follows soon after, and eases himself onto her.

Their breathing is heavy and out of sync, slowly returning to normal. Their arms wrap around one another, and they stay like that, falling into a deep sleep. It’s the first deep, uninterrupted sleep Nanaki has had in a long time.


End file.
